Portable traffic sign and base therefor

ABSTRACT

A traffic sign construction adapted to be selectively placed on top of a rigid base during certain periods, such as during school hours, periods when parking or turning is restricted, etc. The rigid base may be shaped like a conventional cast iron lane marker, having a convex top and a round bottom, and it is adapted to be permanently mounted along (or within) the boundaries of a vehicle roadway. Certain unobtrusive recesses, lugs, ears, tabs or the like are provided on the base, in order to permit a sign to be anchored to an otherwise exteriorly smooth base. A structural connection already secured to the bottom of the traffic sign may be selectively attached to the base and removed therefrom without the requirement for any tools or special skill. Resilient spring members or toggle clamps are provided as a part of the structural connection. Provision is made for protecting all &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;working&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; parts of the base, so that they are not exposed to damage by vehicle wheels that might inadvertently pass over a marker. If a conventional lane marker or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;button&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; is to be used, a modification is provided in the form of a plurality of brackets or tabs such that a traffic sign may be mounted above the button.

United States Patent [191 Boone 1 Jan. 7, 1975 Richard B. Boone, 2321Catalo, Arlington, Tex. 76010 221 Filed: Feb. 20, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 443,943

[76] lnventor:

[52] U.S. C1 404/10, 40/125 N, 116/63 R [51} Int. Cl E0lf 9/00 [58] Field of Search 404/10, 9, 15; 40/125 N; 116/63 R, 63 P [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,267,021 5/1918 Watts 404/10 X 1,802,940 4/1931 Cornelius... 404/10,

1,822,916 9/1931 Woods 404/15 2,121,961 6/1938 Gill 404/10 3,040,636 6/1962 Gregoire 404/15 3,212,415 10/1965 Byrd 404/10 3,279,133 10/1966 DeKorte 404/10 X 3,552,698 l/l97l Kinney 404/10 X Primary ExaminerNile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Charles We McHugh [57] ABSTRACT A traffic sign construction adapted to be selectively placed on top of.a rigid base during certain periods, such as during school hours, periods when parking or turning is restricted, etc. The rigid base may be shaped like a conventional cast iron lane marker, having a convex top and a round bottom, and it is adapted to be permanently mountedalong (or within) the bound aries of a vehicle roadway. Certain unobtrusive recesses, lugs, ears, tabs or the like are provided on the base, in order to permit a sign to be anchored to an otherwise exteriorly smooth base. A structural connection already secured to the bottom of the traffic sign may be selectively attached to the base and removed therefrom without the requirement for any tools or special skill. Resilient spring members or toggle clamps are provided as a part of the structural connection. Provision is made for protecting all working parts of the base, so that they are not exposed to damage by vehicle wheels that might inadvertently pass over a. marker. If a conventional lane marker or button is to be used, a modification is provided in 17 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENIED H915 V assess?- SHEEI 2 OF 2 FIG. 9

PORTABLE TRAFFIC SIGN AND BASE THEREFOR This invention relates generally to temporary road markers, and in particular it relates to a marker in which an information-bearing sign is capable of being temporarily attached to a base, which base may be permanently affixed along or in a highway or the like.

There are many instances in which temporary highway markers, school zone signs, traffic control warnings, etc., have been divised for use on streets, parking lots, and highways, for the purpose of giving information to drivers. Examplary of such devices are those disclosed in the patents to: Byrd US. Pat. No. 3,212,415; Fonda U.S. Pat. No. 2,167,564; Guebela US. Pat. No. 3,451,319; and Alexander US. Pat. No. 3,564,984. A common characteristic of these and many other traffic control signs is that they provide for the interlocking of cooperating parts in a base and an upright post. There is a pronounced difficulty with such locking schemes, however, if rain, snow, and dirt causes the recepticle in one part to become clogged or filled such that it will not accept a mating element of the other part. Thus, properly designed and manufactured interlocking parts can almost always be easily fitted together when they are new and clean. Too, after they are joined together on site, they usually are effective to lock out dirt, snow, sand, salt, trash and the like; but, if subsequently they are ever separated, they leave exposed certain grooves, cavities, ears, lugs, apertures, etc., which are capable of being filled and/or damaged by contact-with vehicle wheels, etc. If it were desired that the base should be permanently left alongside a street and an informationbearing sign should be only temporarily affixed to the base, then devices of the past would not suffice. Exemplary cases where signs are only temporarily needed are: school zones, intersections where turns are restricted only during certain hours of particular days, construction or repair sites where work is carried on only during certain hours, loading zones for businesses, restricted parking areas for parades, funerals or sports events, and unusual driving conditions such as ice on bridges, etc.

With particular attention to shool-zone problems, it

would be desirable to provide a warning sign which could be temporarily affixed by relatively young persons, e.g., students who serve as a safety patrol or the like. Such students cannot always be expected to possess a great deal of mechanicalskill, nor should they be expected to expose themselves to prolonged danger from passing vehicles during the time they are installing or removing warning signs. Hence, it is an object of this invention to provide a temporarily installable warning sign which can be readily put in place and removed'by the use of simple techniques.

It is another object of this invention to provide an information-bearing sign which can be readily affixed to a base which is permanently mounted within or alongside a vehicle roadway.

Still another object is to provide a resilient mounting means for a post, such that if a vehicle accidentally strikes the post, then the post can be yieldably separated from a fixed base, hopefully causing relatively little damage to the vehicle and/or the post.

An additional object is to teach a manner in which existing highway buttons or lane markers can be modified so that they can be utilized as bases for temporary warning signs.

One more objectis to provide a temporary mounting means for a portable warning sign which can be installed and removed without the need for any tools.

These and other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the specification and the drawings provided herewith. In the drawing:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are views of a combination lane marker/sign base adapted to be permanently affixed along a roadway.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a structural member having resilient arms for attachment to a base of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a'base having protruding'lugs.

FIG. 6 is a top view of one of the wedge-shaped shims shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional fragmentary view of a base and a special bracket.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 wherein a toggle clamp affixed to a superstructure is shown in a position where it is engaged with a bracket. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional, elevation view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a view perpendicular to FIG. 9, and showing how an ear or tab can be bent upward to rest within a generally vertical recess.

FIG. 11 is a diagramatic plan view of a road intersec tion.

Referring initially to FIG. .1, a rigid bsae 20 is provided which is adapted to rest upon the ground along a boundary of a vehicle roadway. By the expression boundary," it is intended to broadly encompass the sides of any traveled lane, whether that lane is a single lanewithin a multiple-lane highway, or the sides of a one-lane road, etc. Since the object of a warning sign is to convey information to the vehicle drivers, it is of course desirable that the base be as close to the vehicles path of travel as is practical. Neither the base nor the sign should occupy'any more space than is absolutely necessary, however, since it would thereby introduce its own hazard to traffic. Some temporary sign bases of the past are relatively heavy cast iron or concrete discs which are rolled into position when the signs are to be used. In order to have any stability in even a modest. wind, such signs usually have heavy bases of 18 inches to 20 inches wide when heavy enough to stay in place and do their job, they are usually awkward to move into position. If such signs are rolled to the center of a residential street to announce the proximity of a school or other activity deserving special attention, it can be seen that such signs will take fromthe available driving space an inordinate amount of space. It can be appreciated, therefore, why such temporary signs'have not found favor with local police departments or traffic and safety organizations. In, fact, as of 1973'there is no nationally approved technique for mounting a school zone warning sign in the proximity of our nation's schools.

A widely accepted marker for establishing safe zonesand indicating lanes of a vehicle roadway does exist, however; such markers are usually known as buttons or simply as cast iron markers." They typically have a diameter up to 12 inches, and a weight of 3 k inches; most older buttons are made of cast iron, while some newer ones are made of plastic or aluminum. Such markers or buttons are commercially available from national supply houses such as SA-SO, Inc.

of Grand Prairie, Texas. Naturally, it is desirable that any such button or marker which is placed in a roadway should have as low a profile as possible, so that any vehicle which accidentally hits such a marker would not be immediately thrown out of control or suffer premature tire failure, etc. While the larger buttons have not been looked upon with favor by all traffic control engineers, most drivers have learned to be alert to their presence and avoid them. Hence, the adaptation of such markers or buttons as the requisite base for a warning sign described herein is reasonable.

A preferred dimension for the rigid base of FIG. 1 is a diameter of approximately 7 /2 inches and a height of approximately 3 7% inches. The base 20 may be made of any suitable material, such as cast iron, aluminum, or plastic. It will typically protrude above the roadway, and may be permanently affixed thereto or perhaps only temporarily secured to the roadway.

Since the diameter of the base 20 is relatively small (in order to minimize the consumed space and therefore maximize the travel way available for vehicles), the stability of the entire device will naturally be improved if anchoring bolts, nails, or glue or the like are used to secure the base to the roadway. The upper surface of the base 20 is preferably convex, as is conventional with other traffic buttons. the upper surface of thebase 20 is provided with three widely spaced recesses 22 at radially disposed locations around the base. Each of said recesses 22 has an overhanging lip 24 which is adapted to oppose upwardly directed forces. Said recesses 22 and lips 24 can perhaps be more advantageously seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring specifically to these figures, it will be seen that three equally spaced recesses are provided, althoughequality of spacing is not mandatory. It is appropriate that at least two of the recesses be on opposite sides of the base, however, so that appropriate tension forces may be established in a resilient mounting means (to be described). FIG. 3 in particular shows an important characteristic of the recess,

namely, that they are generally horizontal and have a downwardly sloping or open bottom, such that water will not be held in a recess. Of course, rain does have access to the. recess, whereit can help to keep said recesses clear by'washing away accumulated dirt and the like. Another characteristicof the lips 24 .is'that they lie within an envelope established by the smooth outer surface of the base, such that each lip is protected from impact by the adjacent structure; thus, no lips are exposed to breakge as a result of a vehicle wheel passing over the base. Since the recessed lips 24 are so protected, the entire base may be categorized as being immune to structural damage by contact with vehicle wheels.

Also visible in FIG. 3 is one of the typical vertical recesses which are provided in buttons 20 for permanently affixing the same to a vehicle roadway with bolts. As illustrated, each of the vertical recesses 26 has an open top and a closed bottom. An aperture-in the closed bottom has a size which is appropriate to accommodate the shank of a relatively sturdy bolt 28. This bolt-mounting technique is equivalent to techniques which have been used in the past to mount conventional lane markers, so no new equipment is required in order to install the new bases disclosed herein.

Referring next to FIG. 4, a mechanical spider 30 constitutes one means for selectively attaching the bottom end of a post 32 to the rigid base 20. The spider 30 intached to the post 32 and a second end adapted toengage a respectiveoneof the horizontal recesses 22 in the base 20. the resilient spring elements 34 are preferably made of spring steel having characteristics such that it will remain on a baseuntil it is subject to a dynamic load (such as would occur if an automobile were to accidently strike the post 32), or until one of the spring elements 34 is physically pulled away from the base 20. Arms made from spring steel having a tensile strength of 170,000 psi and having a thi ckness of approximately 0.032 inch are preferred, in order to promote durability of the'system. When three of the spring armsare provided, as shown in FIG. 2, the width of each arm may be approximately one-half inch (or larger). If only-two diametrically opposed arms are provided, a width of at least 2 inches is preferred; also, it is preferred that the information-bearing sign be oriented such that it is perpendicular to the two arms, so that any significant wind loads on the sign will be in'the .plane' of the arms. Whether there are two, three, or

Referring next to FIG. 5,;a slightly different embodiment of a lane markerfor a vehicle roadway is shown installed on a roadway which is not level. Since it is usually desired that the sign post 32 always be vertical, a meansfor levelingthe lane marker isprovided, including at least oneand preferably two-shims having a wedge-shaped configuration. As shown-in FIG. 5, two

. washers or shims 54 are provided, and (in this figure) their thckest portions are adjacent one anotther so that the maximum tilting of the base 208 with respect to the roadway is accomplished. A plurality of apertures 56 are provided in each of the washers or'shims 54, so that the two shims may be rotated with respect to one another and appropriate bolts 28 may be inserted therethrough a securely fix the base to the ground. It is not necesary that the shims be continuous, and a hole may be cutout of the center of a disc (just as a base is preferably hollow) in order to conserve material. As shown in FIG. 6, there are twelve apertures 56, and the washers '54 may be rotated such that three bolts 28 (indicated in FIG. 5) may-be placed through three sets'of aligned holes when securing a base to the ground. A distinct advantage of using at least two shims 54 is that a post 32 may be readily erected so that it is essentially vertical, by merely changing the relative orientation of two shims 54. I

Also shown in FIG. 5 are four lugs'50 which lie just beyond (but very close) to the envelope established by the smooth outer surface of the base 208. The lugs 50 should not protrude so far that they are exposed to breakage as a result of a vehicle wheel passing over the base 208; but it is relatively easy to insure that they protrude far enough to provide a lip 52 which is functionallyequivalent to the lip 24 in FIG. 3. It has been found that a lip of about Arinch can be adequate when the spider 36 is properly made.

While the markers shown in FIG. 3 and 5 have been specially designed to foster the temporary mounting of a warning sign thereabove, there may be certain circumstances which would make desirable the adaptation of existing lane markers "for the same purpose. Since the basic purpose of a lip 24 is to provide some sort of an anchor against which tension forces can be realized during the mounting of a temporary sign, it might be possible to satisfactorily modify a commercially available marker by adding thereto a plurality of generally U-shaped brackets which are adapted to fit within thevertical recesses 26. As canbest be seen in FIG. 7, the open mouth of a U bracket is faced outwardly in a generally horizontaldirection. Each of the U-shaped brackets would have an aperture in the lower one of its legs,'with the aperture being equal in size to the button aperture through which a bolt 28 would be inserted. The upper leg 60 of such a U-shaped bracket should be long enough to be engaged by a latch or the like, but short enough so that it doess not protrude unduly beyond the envelope defined by the curved surface 23 of the button. Because most buttons are intended to remain permanently affixed in a roadway even when signs are not affixed thereto, it is appropriate to pay attention to protecting all of the components and making the brackets immune to damage from accidental impact with vehicle wheels. Of course, permanently mounted buttons with an upright sign mounted thereon will be more readily seen (and avoided) than will be the same button without a sign. Recognizing that someday a drivermay inadvertently steer his vehicle over one of the buttons, it is preferred that-a round button have a diameter no greater than 12 inches.

Referring additionally to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be appreciated that a claw 36 can be slid easily downward and along the surface 23 until it snaps into place under lip 24-when the surface 23 is continuous. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, however, the surface leading to the lip on leg 60 is not continuous. For this reason, it is convenient to employ a slightly different fastening means which includes a toggle-action latch. Such a latching clamp 62 is shown in FIG; 8. The arm 343 would typically have the same curved configuration as shown in the previous arms, but the toggle clamp would provide some flexing as well as the requisite latching and unlatching capability; so, an arm 34B with movable clamps could be more nearly rigid than the aforementioned resilient arms. Regardless of the latching means which is employed, however, it should be remembered that the sign-mounting device is preferably simple enough to be engaged and disengaged by a relatively young person-and without the aid of anytools.

Still another embodiment of a lane marker/sign base combination is that shown in FIG. 9, wherein a disc 70 is adapted to underlie an entire base A and appropriate ears 71 are bent upward to rest within the recesses 26. Referring additionally to FIG. 10, an aperture 74 is provided in each of the ears 72, such that a toggle clamp or the like may engage a respective ear 72. The purpose in providing the aperture 74, of course, is to provide some structure against which a clamp may pull in order to securely hold a sign post atop a base during those portions of a day that the sign is needed. During any remaining hours, the sign is normally removed by a policeman, construction worker, traffic controller, or

6 safety patrol member, etc.; the removed sign would typically be placed in storage until it is again needed to convey its information to approaching drivers.

In use of the embodimentsof the invention, the need for a portable traffic sign is firsst established by considerations relating to traffic safety. Such considerations will typically include the need to warn drivers of an unusual condition ahead, an intersection where turning is restricted during certain hours of the day, the proximity to a church where services are being conducted, an

area where children may be passing to and from school,

a funeral home where a service may be in progress, etc. All of the aforementioned situations make desirable the temporary mounting of a warning sign for drivers, followed preferably by the removal of the sign so that it does not remain at a site when its message is unnecessary. (Removing the sign precludes its damage from vandals, errant automobiles, etc.) In FIG. 11, there are several possible locations for the bases 20 to be mounted. The bases 20 may stand alone along the center line of a street, or.they may be mounted on top of a curb, or in series with conventional lane markers which are not adapted to have a sign mounted thereon but are merely used for the purpose of segregating one lane of traffic from another.

Having determined where a portable sign can be advantageously used, the base 20 is then installed within or along the boundaries of the roadway. If a base of the type shown in FIGS. 1-3 is employed, conventional bolts 28 would be-inserted through the generally vertical recesses and driven into the roadway, as is customary with other lane markers. Once the base 20 is installed, it needs no further attention, and it can remain as a permanent fixture of the roadway. As with other lane markers, it may be painted periodically to protect its surface and improve its appearance, but otherwise it requires no attention. If a marker of the type shown in FIG. 7 is to be employed, the bolts 28 would be loosened until a U-shaped clamp could be installed under.

the head of each bolt; the bolt wouldthen again be tightened. A conventional lane marker 20A can also be modified byremoving the bolts 28 and placing underneatha plate 70 having tabs 72 which are bent inward after the bolts 28 have been tightened. If the street is not level, a base can be made substantially level by inserting an appropriate number of shims 54 under it, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Too, if a base is to remain in one place for only a few days (such as at a road repair site), a simple long spike inserted through a central hole in a base may be more appropriate than a plurality of peripheral bolts 28 for holding a base in position.

After the base 20 is made ready, a person may simply carry a portable sign (with a suitable spider like that shown in FIG. 4 attached to the bottom) up to the base. By placing the spider generally over the base 20 and engaging two of three radially disposed arms, the third arm can he slipped into position by simply pushing down on it (thereby placing the spider in tension) until its claw 36 reaches a recess 22 and snaps into place. The spider 30 will remain in place until one of its arms 34 is pulled radially outward (and lifted if necessary),

an impact, it may be removed from the-spider by releasa ing the fasteners thereon, and a new sign post inserted apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications thereof can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the specific structures shown herein are intended to be exemplary and are not meant to be limiting, except as described in the claims appended hereto, For example, the size and shape of a base may be altered as necessary to fit special requireme'nts; however, it is believed that a width of at least 6 inches'will be required in order to foster stability on windy days, etc. Similarly,.the method of attaching a structural spider may be varied, as long as it can be easily and manually connected and disconnected as disclosed herein. I

what is claimed is: 1. An article of manufacture, comprising: a. a rigid base adapted to rest upon the ground along I a roadway, said base'having at least two generally horizontal recesses with saidrecesses being on op- 1 posite sides of the base such that a structural element extending between the recesses may be placed in tension;

b. an upright post; and

c. means for selectively attaching the bottom end of the post to the rigid base, said means comprising a plurality of resilient spring elements, with each of said elements having a first end permanently attached to the post and a second end adapted to engage a respective one of the horizontal recesses in thebase.

2. The article claimed in claim 1 and further including a pull ring attached near the second end of one of the spring elements, whereby the spring element can be manually pulled outwardly away from engagement with its associated recess to thereby release the post from attachment to the base. v

3. The article as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are at least three recesses provided in-the rigid base, and said recesses are spaced approximately 120 apart around the periphery of the base.

4. The article as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bsae constitutes a cast iron button of near hemispherical shape, and the button has a diameter no greater than 12 inches, whereby the buttonmay be left permanently attached to the ground in the manner of traffic lane markers.

5. A combination relating to the field of temporary traffic information signs, comprising:

a. a rigid bse adapted to be permanentlyaffixed to the ground along a roadway, the base having a convex upper surface which protrudes above the ground, and said upper surface having three widely spaced recesses at radially disposed locations aroundthe base, with each of said recesses having an overhanging lip adapted to oppose upwardly directed forces; I

b. a post adapted to be temporarily mounted above the base inan erect mode, said post having an information-bearing indicator about traffic conditions on its top'end;

c. a spring-steel arm extending between respective ones of the recesses and the bottom of the post, with each of said arms having at one enda claw 8 adapted to engage'a recess'and prevent upward movement of the arm while so engaged, and having atits other endmeans for permanently attaching an arm to the bottom of the post; and

d. a pull ring attached to an outer end of at least one of the spring-steel arms, whereby the pull ring may be used to manually pull a c-law radially outward in order to disengage the claw fromits associated recess, such that the post can be manually tilted and subsequently removed from the base.

6. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein the overhanging lip above each of saidrecesses constitutes an integral part of the rigid base. a

7. The combination recited-in claim'S wherein 'the overhanging lip above each of said recesses constitutes a portion of a metal bracket which is mechanically secured to'the rigid base, with said'overhanging lip being protected against impact from vehicle wheels by the exter'ior surface of therigid base.

8.'The combination recited in claim 5 and further in cluding shim means between the ground and thebase for causing the base to rest horizontally even though the ground isslanted, whereby the post will be vertical when -it is attached to the base.

9. The combination recited. in claim 8 wherein the base has a round bottom and the shim means comprises a'pair of wedge-shaped discs which are rotatably adjustable, with the diameter of the disc's being substantiall'y the same as the diameter of the bottom of the base. 10.- A temporary traffic control apparatus, comprisingr .a. a'rigid base permanently affixed within the boundaries of a vehicle roadway, with the base protruding above the roadway,- andhaving at least three outwardly facing and widely spaced lugs, with the lugs lying close tothe envelope established by the smooth outer surface of the base, such that no parts 'of the base protrude so far that they are exposed to breakage as aresult of a vehicle'wheel passing over they base, whereby the base is relatively immune to damage by contact with vehicle wheels; b. a post adapted to be selectively attached to the base, whereby an information-bearing sign which is attached'to the post maybe observed by vehicle drivers; and v V c. resilient means for temporarily attaching the bottom end of the post to thelugs on the rigid base,

and said means being adapted to yield in the-event of accidental impact of a vehicle with the post, which impact may occur from any horizontal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the post, whereby a post which is accidentally struck can separate from therigid base without breakage of any part of the. device.

11. A lane marker for a vehicle roadway which is also serviceable as a base for a traffic sign, comprising:

a. a rigid membmer having a generally convex top and a generally round bottom, said member being essentiallysymmetrical about a vertical axis and having a height which is no more than one-half of its diameter, and having at least two generally horizontalrecesses near its-bottom, with the upper.

edge of the member above the recess encompassingan angle of no more than whereby an overhanging lip isprovided, with said recesses being selfdraining so that water will not collect therein,

and the recesses facing in opposite directions so that a resilient element may be secured to the rigid member by booking its respective ends over the overhanging lips.

l2. The lane marker as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least three generally horizontal recesses are provided, and the recesses are evenly distributed around the periphery of the rigid memberwith 120 separating adjacent recesses.

13. in a construction adapted for marking lanes in a roadway, including a near-hemispherical rigid button having a diameter of at least 6 inches, said button having a pluality of vertical recesses distributed around its periphery with open tops and closed bottoms, there being apertures in the closed bottoms for accommodating bolts for securing the button to a hard-surface roadway, the improvement comprising:

a. a plurality of generally U-shaped brackets adapted to fit within the vertical recesses, with the mouth of a U opening outward in a generally horizontal direction, with each of said U-shaped brackets having an aperture in the lower one of its legs, with the bracket apertures being equal in size to the button apertures, such that the bolts which holdthe button to the ground can also be made to hold'the brackets to the button, and the upper leg of each U being long enough to be engaged by a latch but 7 10 tively secured to the button by engaging the spaced brackets.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 13 and further including a structural spider adapted to rest on the button and having legs adpated to extend radially outward toward the vertical recesses, and a latch mounted on the distal end of each leg for engaging the upper portion of a respective bracket.

15. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein the latches include toggle mechanisms which are mounted such that the spider is placed in tension when all of the latches are engaged.

16. The combination as claimed in claim 14 and further including a receptacle fixed to the spider for receiving the base of a traffic informaton sign, whereby said sign may be temporarily mounted over said button.

17. The combination comprising:

a. a vehicle lane marker having a convex top and a width no greater than about 12 inches, and having a plurality of peripheral recesses adapted to accommodate mounting bolts which are used to anchor the marker to a roadway; and b. a plate adapted to underlie the lane marker, said plate having tabs which can be aligned with the peripheral recesses in the marker, and said tabs extending upwardly to at least partially lie within the recesses, whereby the tabs are at least partially protected against damage by the marker, and said tabs having a configuration for permitting a structure to be selectively secured thereto in order that the structure may rest on top of the marker. 

1. An article of manufaCture, comprising: a. a rigid base adapted to rest upon the ground along a roadway, said base having at least two generally horizontal recesses with said recesses being on opposite sides of the base such that a structural element extending between the recesses may be placed in tension; b. an upright post; and c. means for selectively attaching the bottom end of the post to the rigid base, said means comprising a plurality of resilient spring elements, with each of said elements having a first end permanently attached to the post and a second end adapted to engage a respective one of the horizontal recesses in the base.
 2. The article claimed in claim 1 and further including a pull ring attached near the second end of one of the spring elements, whereby the spring element can be manually pulled outwardly away from engagement with its associated recess to thereby release the post from attachment to the base.
 3. The article as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are at least three recesses provided in the rigid base, and said recesses are spaced approximately 120* apart around the periphery of the base.
 4. The article as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bsae constitutes a cast iron button of near hemispherical shape, and the button has a diameter no greater than 12 inches, whereby the button may be left permanently attached to the ground in the manner of traffic lane markers.
 5. A combination relating to the field of temporary traffic information signs, comprising: a. a rigid bse adapted to be permanently affixed to the ground along a roadway, the base having a convex upper surface which protrudes above the ground, and said upper surface having three widely spaced recesses at radially disposed locations around the base, with each of said recesses having an overhanging lip adapted to oppose upwardly directed forces; b. a post adapted to be temporarily mounted above the base in an erect mode, said post having an information-bearing indicator about traffic conditions on its top end; c. a spring-steel arm extending between respective ones of the recesses and the bottom of the post, with each of said arms having at one end a claw adapted to engage a recess and prevent upward movement of the arm while so engaged, and having at its other end means for permanently attaching an arm to the bottom of the post; and d. a pull ring attached to an outer end of at least one of the spring-steel arms, whereby the pull ring may be used to manually pull a claw radially outward in order to disengage the claw from its associated recess, such that the post can be manually tilted and subsequently removed from the base.
 6. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein the overhanging lip above each of said recesses constitutes an integral part of the rigid base.
 7. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein the overhanging lip above each of said recesses constitutes a portion of a metal bracket which is mechanically secured to the rigid base, with said overhanging lip being protected against impact from vehicle wheels by the exterior surface of the rigid base.
 8. The combination recited in claim 5 and further including shim means between the ground and the base for causing the base to rest horizontally even though the ground is slanted, whereby the post will be vertical when it is attached to the base.
 9. The combination recited in claim 8 wherein the base has a round bottom and the shim means comprises a pair of wedge-shaped discs which are rotatably adjustable, with the diameter of the discs being substantially the same as the diameter of the bottom of the base.
 10. A temporary traffic control apparatus, comprising: a. a rigid base permanently affixed within the boundaries of a vehicle roadway, with the base protruding above the roadway, and having at least three outwardly facing and widely spaced lugs, with the lugs lying close to the envelope established by the smooth outer surface of the base, such that no parts of the base protrUde so far that they are exposed to breakage as a result of a vehicle wheel passing over the base, whereby the base is relatively immune to damage by contact with vehicle wheels; b. a post adapted to be selectively attached to the base, whereby an information-bearing sign which is attached to the post may be observed by vehicle drivers; and c. resilient means for temporarily attaching the bottom end of the post to the lugs on the rigid base, and said means being adapted to yield in the event of accidental impact of a vehicle with the post, which impact may occur from any horizontal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the post, whereby a post which is accidentally struck can separate from the rigid base without breakage of any part of the device.
 11. A lane marker for a vehicle roadway which is also serviceable as a base for a traffic sign, comprising: a. a rigid membmer having a generally convex top and a generally round bottom, said member being essentially symmetrical about a vertical axis and having a height which is no more than one-half of its diameter, and having at least two generally horizontal recesses near its bottom, with the upper edge of the member above the recess encompassing an angle of no more than 90*, whereby an overhanging lip is provided, with said recesses being selfdraining so that water will not collect therein, and the recesses facing in opposite directions so that a resilient element may be secured to the rigid member by hooking its respective ends over the overhanging lips.
 12. The lane marker as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least three generally horizontal recesses are provided, and the recesses are evenly distributed around the periphery of the rigid member with 120* separating adjacent recesses.
 13. In a construction adapted for marking lanes in a roadway, including a near-hemispherical rigid button having a diameter of at least 6 inches, said button having a pluality of vertical recesses distributed around its periphery with open tops and closed bottoms, there being apertures in the closed bottoms for accommodating bolts for securing the button to a hard-surface roadway, the improvement comprising: a. a plurality of generally U-shaped brackets adapted to fit within the vertical recesses, with the mouth of a ''''U'''' opening outward in a generally horizontal direction, with each of said U-shaped brackets having an aperture in the lower one of its legs, with the bracket apertures being equal in size to the button apertures, such that the bolts which hold the button to the ground can also be made to hold the brackets to the button, and the upper leg of each ''''U'''' being long enough to be engaged by a latch but short enough so that it does not protrude beyond the envelope defined by the curved surface of the button, whereby the brackets are relatively immune to damage from vehicle wheels, and whereby a member with appropriate latches may be selectively secured to the button by engaging the spaced brackets.
 14. The combination as claimed in claim 13 and further including a structural spider adapted to rest on the button and having legs adpated to extend radially outward toward the vertical recesses, and a latch mounted on the distal end of each leg for engaging the upper portion of a respective bracket.
 15. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein the latches include toggle mechanisms which are mounted such that the spider is placed in tension when all of the latches are engaged.
 16. The combination as claimed in claim 14 and further including a receptacle fixed to the spider for receiving the base of a traffic informaton sign, whereby said sign may be temporarily mounted over said button.
 17. The combination comprising: a. a vehicle lane marker having a convex top and a width no greater than about 12 inches, and having a plurality of peripheral recesses adapted to accommodate mounting bolts which are used to anchor the marker to a roadway; And b. a plate adapted to underlie the lane marker, said plate having tabs which can be aligned with the peripheral recesses in the marker, and said tabs extending upwardly to at least partially lie within the recesses, whereby the tabs are at least partially protected against damage by the marker, and said tabs having a configuration for permitting a structure to be selectively secured thereto in order that the structure may rest on top of the marker. 